FBS

The Development of Academic Regalia in China 2011
1
Design, Practice, History – Pieces on Chinese Academicals Charles KO, Ka Shing, 2011
F B S ( F e l l o w s h i p o f B u r g o n S o c i e t y )
The Development of Academic Regalia in China
BY
Charles Ko, Ka Shing
Dip.SCSM (Musicology) LVCMEd (Hons) [2011] MSTSD,
BEd (Hons) & BEng Lang (Hons) Candidature
Open University of Hong Kong
RESEARCH
Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements
for the FBS (the Fellowship of the Burgon Society)
in The Society,
December, 2011
Hong Kong, China

2
Design, Practice, History
The Development of Academic Regalia in China
Dip.SCSM (Musicology) LVCMEd (Hons) MSTSD,
BEd (Hons) & BEng Lang (Hons) Candidature
Open University of Hong Kong
Work submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for
the Fellowship of the Burgon Society,
December, 2011.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to the Dean of Studies Professor Bruce Christianson for his kind assistance
and encouragement in the process of research. Nevertheless, it is thanks to Franklyn
Memorial Scholarships that I can finish the research without financial difficulties.
Abstract
This submission includes a series of pieces on the themes of Chinese academic dress. The
topics of design, history and practice will be included. The dissertation will cover the motives
leading to the development of academic regalia of modern Chinese tertiary institutions; the
history and development of academic regalia in China; moreover, how the design of academic
regalia has been changed, including an examination of reasons of the change from the
academic dress of ancient China to the modern Chinese academic dress.
This research aims to increase the world‘s awareness of a great variety of academic regalia
issues in China, which is one of the countries around the world emphasizing in educational
and academic development. Moreover, China is a valuable research target as it has had
periods of economic reform, establishment of westernized and modernized degree system and
change of its political attitudes. All these policies had led to the development of westernized
modern academic dress in China. Furthermore, the research results can be used as an indicator
or references for the developing-countries or regions which have a similar historical
background of China to organize the management of their Modern Academic Dress.

3
Contents
Abstract………………………………………..…………………………………………....… 2
Figures………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Methodology………………………………………………..……………………………...…. 5
Introduction to Chinese academic dress…………………………………..………………….. 5
A series of pieces on Chinese Academic Dress 9
History of the ancient and modern Chinese academic dress………………………….… 9
The Incentives leading to the Birth of Modern Academic Dress in China……………. 21
Description of Modern Chinese academic dress……………………….……………… 28
Mortarboard……………………………………………………………………… 30
Gown…………………………………………………………………………….. 31
Hood……………………………………………………………………………... 35
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………….…………….. 39
Bibliography.…………………………………………………………………………….…... 41
Further readings 41
Useful Links……………………………………………………………………….…………………… 41
Sources…………………………………………………………………………………...…………….. 42
APPENDIX………………………………………………………………………………….. 43

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Figures
F i g u r e P a g e
Figure 1 The Chinese university students trying the newly designed
Hanfu-style Chinese academicals...........................................................6
Figure 2 A fashion show of the new series of Chinese academicals of the
Peking University....................................................................................7
Figure 3 The series of Hanfu-style modern Chinese academicals ..............7
Figure 4 Pictures of the putout in black......................................................9
Figure 5 Qing Dynasty Officers’ Academical Dress ...................................10
Figure 6 Qing Dynasty Officer robe with the gown in purple...................11
Figure 7 A red cap of the Qing dynasty officer’s robe ..............................12
Figure 8 Picture depicting the pair of long curved wings of putou ..........13
Figure 9 A literatus wearing a fangjin.......................................................14
Figure 10 Si-fang pingding jin (or 四角方巾) ..........................................14
Figure 11 Emperor Tang Xuanzong and officials in official/academic dress
..............................................................................................................15
Figure 12 The Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, panling lanshan
photo..…………………………………………………………………………………………..16
Figure 13 The Modern Chinese doctoral academical photo.....................17
Figure 14 An American Doctor of Philosophy’s gown ..............................18
Figure 15 Robert Morrison (1782-1834), the first Protestant missionary to
China, was a British Presbyterian appointed by the London Missionary
Society..................................................................................................21
Figure 16 The fashionable academical dresses display ............................24
Figure 17 A description of the bachelor, master and doctoral gown in
China after 1994...................................................................................28
Figure 18 20th
century lace-up mortarboards typically used in China and
other Asian universities........................................................................29
Figure 19 Common prints of dragon designed on the imperial Chinese
robes. ...................................................................................................30
Figure 20 Prints of dragon on the imperial Chinese robes .......................31
Figure 21 Other Chinese-style patterning prints on the imperial Chinese
robes ....................................................................................................31
Figure 22 Description of the good luck buttons applied in the Chinese
robes.....................................................................................................32
Figure 23 The good luck buttons applied in the modern Chinese gowns
(bachelors’). .........................................................................................33
Figure 24 A sample of the Chinese hood showing the patterning of peony

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flowers..................................................................................................35
Figure 25 An indicated diagram showing the colours of hoods of different
academic units under the Chinese academic dress regulations………..36
Figure 26 The 6 colours of hoods in different academic units in China….37
Figure 27 Academical design that shows some of the Chinese cultures e.g.
by red theme colour on the westernized black modern academic dress
..............................................................................................................38
Figure 28 Academical design that chiefly shows the Chinese character..39
Methodology
A mixed research design is used in this dissertation, involving two main research methods:
1. Secondary research – to summarize and make a synthesis of existing researches and/or
data; and
2. Qualitative research – to make an understanding of academic regalia attitudes of local
Chinese; on the other hand, the reasons behind the attitudes, for example, how the
globalization and central governmental academical dress policies and planning govern
those attitudes.
Introduction to Chinese academic dress
There has been a long history in the development of Chinese academic dress.
In Imperial China, there were the imperial civil service examinations which allowed any
citizen, regardless of background to qualify for imperial service. The successful literati and
scholars took up the different positions of Chinese imperial servants and gained a higher
social status. They were also entitled to wear the impressive ancient Chinese academic gown
and hat (or cap). In ancient China, wearing academical dresses was one of the ways used to
show the distinct hierarchy. The design of modern academic dress in China is still partially
influenced by that of western academic dresses, especially the United States‘ and European
ones.

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The ―modern‖ Chinese academic dress has existed in China for about a hundred years.
However, owing to various factors, especially social and political ones, development of
academic dress had not been emphasized by the central government for some time.
Westernized modern degree systems were introduced in 20th
century1
e.g. Chinese economic
reform started in December 19782
and the improvement of political attitudes of China to the
western in 19th
century3
, they had been followed by the existence of a variety of westernized
academic dress designs within Chinese universities in the Chinese history flow4
, for instances,
the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (南京航空航天大学), academies or
institutions. The Peking University (北京大学), as the first national integrated university, had
gradually begun the application of the modern academic dress since it was founded in 1898.
More recently university turned the Hanfu (汉服) (or Han) Chinese Clothing (worn from
around 2698 BC to AD 1750)5
as inspiration for a series of the university-based Chinese
academicals in 20076
The preference for the pelerine over the hood dressed in the right lady
Figure 1 The Chinese university students trying the newly designed Hanfu-style Chinese academicals
Adapted from http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/mdtt.blog.china.com/200707/645473.html
1
http://www.chinadegrees.cn/xwyyjsjyxx/xwbl/xgzl/xwf/259608.shtml 學位服. 教育部學位與研究
生教育發展中心, ‘中国的学位服出现在本世纪二十年代中期，或更早一些。’ [2011-09-13].
2
Maddison, Angus (2007): "Contours of the World Economy, 1–2030 AD. Essays in Macro-Economic
History", Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-922721-1.
3
Ibid.
4
Ibid.
5
Zhou Xibao (1984), 【中國古代服飾史】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Shi (History of Ancient Chinese
Costume), Beijing: Zhongguo Xiju.
6
See http://big5.china.com/gate/big5/mdtt.blog.china.com/200707/645473.html.

7
Figure 2 A fashion show of the new series of Chinese academicals of the Peking University
Figure 3 The series of Hanfu-style modern Chinese academicals
Meanwhile, the researches to traditional and modern academic dresses in China had been
processing. In the 21st
century China, the two main genres or varieties of modern China
academicals, namely internationalized and traditionalized dresses co-exist.

8
The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (國務院學位委員會) is the highest
authority responsible for duties of degree system in China. It also closely and deliberately
takes part in observing conditions of Chinese academic dress. In 1992, the Committee decided
to expand researches with regard to academical dress issues. In the longer development of the
Chinese academic dress, the central government has decided to allow the committee to be an
organization taking part in the creation of modernized Chinese academic dress.
It is valuable to investigate the issues of Chinese academic dress, which has a long history,
and experienced numerous government policies and academical planning. More importantly,
the original, traditional Chinese academic dress has been modified by individual academies
leading to diverse Chinese Academical Regalia of today, which definitely should be an
interesting issue for researchers to examine the reasons of the change.

9
A series of pieces on Chinese Academic Dress
From historical perspectives,
History of the ancient and modern Chinese academic dress
Academical Dress in Ancient China
In China, the ancient academic dress was essentially the official dress. This reflects the close
relationship between academia and officialdom of ancient China.
The ancient outfit of academics and officials in China consisted of a long red round-collar
robe with long sleeves. This robe is called a panling lanshan (盤領襴衫). It was worn with a
cap called a putou (幞頭) in period from 618 to 907 of ancient China which is black in colour.
Figure 4 Pictures of the putout in black
(Source: 故宮數位博物館 official website,
http://tech2.npm.gov.tw/literature/beauty/beauty.asp?P=188&B=189.)

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The entire Qing Dynasty Chinese officer robes (官服) including the top of putou are in red.
Figure 5 Qing Dynasty Officers’ Academical Dress
Adapted from http://www.bravochina.com/clothing/embroidery.html.

11
Figure 6 Qing Dynasty Officer robe with a red cap, and the gown in purple, picture adapted from
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2009-02/16/content_11569604.htm

12
Figure 7 A red cap of the Qing dynasty officer’s robe, adapted from
http://www.asianideas.com/chofha.html
In style of brocade, the putou has curved wings, which was typical of the Tang Dynasty (June
18, 618 – June 1, 907). See below figure 8.

13
Figure 8 Picture depicting the pair of long curved wings of putou, adapted from
http://big5.showchina.org:81/gate/big5/chinaabc.showchina.org/zgwhxl/zgctfs/200703/t109552.htm
The academic dress styles of succeeding dynasties were drawn from that of the Tang dynasty.
The general brocade of all Chinese ancient dynasties is agreed by the historiographers to be
distinctive from common dress, although the dress of each individual dynasty is still found to
have some unique stylistic differences.
In the Ming Dynasty (also referred to the Empire of the Great Ming, which was the ruling
dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan
Dynasty7
), hats distinctively indicated the status of scholars and literati (scholar-bureaucrats
or scholar-officials (士大夫)). For instance, a specific genre of the hats si-fang pingding jin
7
Edwin Oldfather Reischauer, John King Fairbank, Albert M. Craig (1960) A history of East Asian
civilization, Volume 1. East Asia: The Great Tradition, George Allen & Unwin Ltd.

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(四方平定巾) (fangjin (方巾)), whose appearance is similar to that of the mortarboard of
modern academic dress in black (readers can be cross-referenced to the entry ‗Mortarboard‘,
in page 15, that I will explain the description of Chinese modern mortarboards in more detail
later).
Figure 9 A literatus wearing a fangjin
(Adapted from
http://www.chinaqw.com/node2/node116/node1486/node1495/node1516/node1517/userobject6ai
89958.html.)
Figure 10 Si-fang pingding jin (or 四角方巾)
Adapted from http://www.ltsh.ilc.edu.tw/history/history1/newpage1107.htm#四角方巾

15
There had not been a distinct hat that was specifically for an academic in China, and therefore
we may say there had not truly been an academic hat or headgear before the 1911 revolution
by Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)8
who was a Chinese revolutionary,
the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, referred to as the "Father of the Nation" (國父) in
the Republic of China, and the "forerunner of democratic revolution" in the People's Republic
of China9
. However, mentioned in the introduction session, the officials, who have passed the
imperial civil service examinations, are definitely similar to the cases that the western
academics who have graduated in colleges or universities and earn a degree of a certain level.
Hence, the above introductory passages of official (or academic) dresses can be references to
the succeeding developments of the modern academical.
Figure 11 Emperor Tang Xuanzong and officials in official/academic dress
Picture adapted from
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Audience_by_Emperor_Tang_Xuanzong.jpg
8
Singtao daily. Saturday edition. Oct 23, 2010. 特別策劃 section A18. Sun Yat-sen Xinhai revolution
100th anniversary edition 民國之父.
9
Derek Benjamin Heater. [1987] (1987). Our world this century. Oxford University Press. ISBN
0199133247, 9780199133246.

16
Academical Dress in Modern China
Modern Chinese academic dress had appeared since the middle-1920s.
The design of Chinese academical dress usually included a long gown and a mandarin jacket,
which was introduced in about 192510
. For instance, the academical dress of the Doctor of
Medicine (MD) was just like a mandarin jacket worn with a gown, which was popular and
fashionable especially in the 1920s & 30s. The gown spreads to the anklebone; and the broad
sleeves almost cover the hands. The length and broadness are merely show-offs and
graduation evidences of the successful candidates‘ academic status after the hard struggle of
their studies. It is found that the ―show-off‖ style in the broad sleeves of the doctoral dress is
similar to the appearance of the gown worn with the panling lanshan (see figures 12 & 13.)
Figure 12 The Ming Dynasty, from 1368 to 1644, panling lanshan photo. Adapted from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Artifact_hanfu8.jpg
10
See 北京世纪九成校园礼仪服饰有限公司-学位服的历史-
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 [2011-12-27].

17
Figure 13 The Modern Chinese doctoral academical photo. Adapted from
http://www.jianniu.cn/showpro.asp?id=24.
There had been a difference between Chinese academical dress and American ones is that,
there is no sign or symbol of degree levels by the cut of the sleeves of the Chinese academical
dress, although the degree level representation is shown by some other means (for details, see
p. 28 and 29.) However, there had already been many common features shared by the above
two kinds of dress, since the underlying design of Modern Chinese academical dresses was
imitated from the American dress in the early 20th
century11
. For instance, at both sides of the
front of Chinese (refer to a modern Chinese doctorial gown in figure 13) and American gown
(see figure 14 on p.18), there is a broad border made of velvet materials (this is also one of
ways in which American Regalia differs from European Academical Dress). Soft velvet with
three-dimensional effect show the extremely serious, noble and graceful features - on the one
hand, they represent the manner of being a Doctor of Philosophy; on the other hand, they
expose the impressive calm and steady style of scholars.
11
Ibid.

18
Figure 14 An American Doctor of Philosophy’s gown
(http--upload.wikimedia.org-wikipedia-commons-1-17-Dphil_gown.jpg)

19
Black velvet had been one of the crucial constituting parts of Chinese robe. In the history of
modern Chinese academic dress, its use in the gown has made the gown to become the spirit
of the whole design of the outfit. However, in some designs, for an example doctoral
academic dress, the Chinese character is not shown by the outer gown, but is shown by the
partially-displayed inner blouse of the dress.
In history, school uniform in China was originally a kind of Chinese-style jacket with buttons
down the front, but also was one of typical clothing being westernized under the influence of
western cultures in the early 20th
century, ―西洋東漸‖. Due to the majority of schoolboys
wearing the kind of clothing in school, the westernized dress gradually became a school
uniform. This phenomenon is similar to schoolgirls liked to wear a close-fitting Chinese dress
with side vents in schools and finally the cheongsam becomes their school uniform.
Logical, no matter whether European style academical dress or American style academical
dress is worn, freshly-pressed Western style clothes should be worn inside; otherwise it
should be treated as ―unreasonable‖ and/or ―unsuitable‖ to certain Chinese cultural views on
the mixtures or fusion of cultures worldwide12
. However, some doctoral graduates in China,
including the foreign ones in China, chose to wear Chinese style school-uniform-like blouses
rather than western style clothes. The blouse is no longer only the constituting part of school
uniforms; it has also become an indispensible role of the Chinese academic robe since the
early 20th
century.
In the western world, graduates put the corner of the square academic cap at the front. But in
China, the wearing style is different. Chinese candidates refused to follow the wearing
mortarboard style of West Europe, but they put a sideline of the cap at the front. This was an
individualized expression, and is a creation of Chinese wearing style. Moreover, there were
no tassels indicating the specific degree level at the top of the Chinese cap, and perhaps
Chinese designers thought that including tassels into the cap is ―to draw a snake and add feet
to it‖13
, a Chinese metaphor meaning to be burdensome.
12
Referred to http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “按常理，无论“欧派”还是“美
派”学位服，在其里面男士通常穿笔挺的西装方才“合理”、“恰当”，而这几位中国的博
士连同那位外藉博士却偏偏内穿对襟式立领的学生装。”
13
Ibid, “况且帽顶上没有标识学位级别的流苏，大概他们觉得这样是画蛇添足，是累赘。”

20
In addition, Chinese bachelors‘ and masters‘ dress were largely reformed in 1930s and 1940s,
for instance: 1. The neckband of blouse becomes deeper, 2. The neckband becomes V-shape.
When mortarboards are not worn, the design of these two academic regalia will look almost
the same as the long gowns with hoods in late-Qing Dynasty style.14
These developments demonstrate that the revolution in Chinese academic dress and
innovation had begun since the early 20th
century. Although we can never know in history
who first transformed the dress, as there is no single name mentioned in the historical records,
they and their successors‘ work(s) provide us with much to explore, investigate and research
with respect to Chinese Academic Regalia.
14
Ibid, “学士服和硕士服在三、四十年代则大多是改良式的，[1]领口开得很深，[2]呈 V 字形，若
没有头上的方帽，其服装和清末的男子长衫几乎完全相同。”

21
15
Ibid.
16
Ibid.
17
Quoted in Harvard Divinity School webpage
http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/exhibits/online/bible/6.html.
From socio-political views,
The Incentives leading to the Birth of Modern Academic Dress in China
The Chinese academic dress of 19th
Century in history, with a square cap and long gown, were
totally imitated from the western world15
. At first, foreign academic dress was imported by
western missionaries of the Society of Jesus and other Catholic Churches. The academic dress
had been the costumes of the missionaries during initial stages of building missionary schools in
China16
.This brought Chinese into contact with these overseas imports, the academic regalia, in
an early period.
Figure 15 Robert Morrison (1782-1834), the first Protestant missionary to China, was a British
Presbyterian appointed by the London Missionary Society
17
. Picture depicting the missionary dress is
adapted from http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/exhibits/online/bible/images/china5.jpg.
P.Matthoeus Ricci was the first Jesuit to preach the word of God in China. Ricci provided the
science and education as a tempting bait to attract Chinese to listen to what he said.

22
18
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “到 1877 年，全国基督教学校有约 350 所，学生
5975 人。到 1889 年，教会学校的学生已达 16836 人，而至 1906 年，更猛增到 57683 人。”
In preaching of the western priests in China, there were never measures better than transmitting
the knowledge of natural science to students which can make Chinese listen to the word of
missionaries. Accordingly, science had become the bait of the western to win Chinese attention,
respect, trust, and honour. It had hence become a crucial method to make the missionaries be
allowed by Chinese to realize their mission of preaching in China.
The period after the Opium War (1840-1842) further blended Chinese and western cultures
together. This blend not only brought the western academic dress by preachers to China, but
pictures depicting Chinese wearing the western academic dresses in graduation ceremonies were
also brought by the Chinese graduates holding western degrees. The existence of the fashionable
design of academic dress at that time immediately aroused an echo in China.
At the same time, the missionary schools in China had been spreading and developing.
Until 1877, the total number of the Christian Schools in China was about 350; with a
student population of 5975. In 1889, the number of students of the missionary schools was
approximately 16836, and by 1906 the number increased to 57683.18
Former president of the former St. John’s University (1879—1952) F·L·Hanks Pott treated the
missionary schools as American Chinese ―West Points‖, which were the essential strategical
institutions of doing missionary work. Hanks Pott argued for the missionary schools that
education should always be the foundation in missions of promoting the word of Christ;

23
19
Ibid, “当时上海圣约翰大学校长卜舫济（F·L·Hanks Pott）就把教会学校比作美国的“西点军校”
（West Points ),是教会传教必须的战略机构，正像这位传教士所论述的那样：“如果教会工作不
以我们的教育工作为基础，它就好像把房子盖在沙土上一样，是不牢固的。”
在此，教育不仅成为一种诱饵，而且是除了洋枪大炮外的软武器。随着近代科学在中国的出
现，源起于欧洲的学位服又找到自己新的生长土壤。”
20
Ibid.
21
See http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106.
22
See http://www.jianniu.cn/show.asp?tid=1 .
otherwise the missions of preaching will become unstable, like building a house on a desert.
Education is not only the bait, but it is also a weapon.19
In many parts of the world in the early 20th
century, academic dress were divided into two sects:
Italian and the United Kingdom‘s academic dress in Europe on behalf of European academic
dress20
; and the United States‘ academic dress represented the American academic dress (also
called American Regalia). European acadmeical dress mainly keeps the Medieval Age style and
its features; no matter in the fashion or colour, the academic dress in Europe retains marks of
religious age of believes. American regalia followed American innovation created the dress in the
new American style. The design of American robe was based on prototypes of academical dress
of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. During early 20th
century, the majority of
missionaries existed in China were from the America. Due to this factor, the majority of dresses
found in China were brought by Americans.
When the importance of academic regalia was recognised and people tried better to
understand and know more of it, students appreciated and took an interest in the design of
academic dresses. For instance, shops such as the Beijing Century Jiu Cheng Campus Ceremony
Costume & Accessory21
and the Jianniu Academical Company22
now exist, selling a variety of
academical dress in a mass of styles worldwide indicate that there are expanding markets for
academical dress in China. Besides, students are willing to spend time on deciding their wearing
style of academic dress. It is because the academic dress should be thoroughly shown their
unique spirit of yearning for knowledge and truth in thoughts of the students.

24
23
More on http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/107@1670679.htm .
24
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 “新中国自己的学位服在萌动了。”
From the perspective of academia, scholars should have their own academic dress and wearing
style.
It reflects their strong wish to create their better self-image and brighter future. As a result, the
modeling, patterning, and wearing style of the academic dress were largely modified, for
example, in 2007, Chinese university students participated in the designs of the
fashionable academical dress23
(see some of the designs in figure 16); the academic regalia
with a slight difference or big changes had been created into several genres in the beginning of
Chinese academic regalia development, but no longer a uniform one.
Figure 16 The fashionable academical dresses display. Adapted from
http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/107@1670679.htm .
The academic dresses were gradually becoming one of China‘s own unique costume cultures
or fashion styles between the late 20th
and early 21st
Century
24
. Market researchers thought how to

25
25
Photos adapted from http://www.jianniu.cn/show.asp?tid=4.
make the dresses became diverse. Hence, academic regalia originating from Europe were greatly
developed. Nevertheless, it can be said that the birth of Chinese Academic Regalia began from
the ideologies of Chinese scholars.
The above photos show some of the new collections of the modern Chinese academic regalia.25
There was a long period following the establishment of the People‘s Republic of China
(PRC) (1949) during which China did not have a unified national academic dress. The reason
behind the phenomenon is that the degree system had not yet been established, meaning that a
series of university developments including academical dress‘s one cannot be followed. Although
China had started the consideration to the establishment of degree system during 1950s - 1960s,
the establishments of national academic regalia were not addressed.
In 1980, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) (全国人民代表大
会常务委员会 (全國人大常委會)) approved the ‘Regulations of the People's Republic of
China on Academic Degrees’ (see Appendix for details). The regulations were implemented in
beginning 1981. China had its own degree system in that year. Although the need of ―Chinese‖
academic dress was still not on the agenda of the central governmental policies, the

26
26
Interpreted from http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105 “服饰艺术本来就不受国度
的限制，况且我们有过自己的学位服。”
27
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105, “新中国自己的学位服在萌动了。”
28
Adshead, S. A. M. (2004), T'ang China: The Rise of the East in World History, New York: Palgrave
Macmillan, ISBN 1403934568 (hardback).
implementation of the degree system increased people‘s awareness of academia-related
developments, including increased their incentives to the future development of Chinese
Academic Regalia.
Since the establishment of innovative Chinese degree system was gradually recognized by
employment markets, and especially since the economic reform expanded, Chinese had realized
and had ideology that their degree system was still not comprehensive enough.
In the meantime, the freedom of dress arts in China primarily allowed artistic and stylistic
designs in Chinese academic dress art to be freely developed without many national restrictions.
In other words, the previous academical system was not suppressed26
. As a result, the New
Chinese Academic Regalia were sprouting27
. Besides, in the past, Chinese had a time during the
Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 – 907) having the huge development of textile use in a variety of
daily costumes. This was in fact due to factors of technology, that the popular use of
cotton at that time had ever favoured the development of Chinese costumes, including
the Tang Chinese academic dress and, later development of Modern Chinese academic
dress as well:
Cotton also came from India as a finished product from Bengal, although it was during
the Tang that the Chinese began to grow and process cotton, and by the Yuan Dynasty it
became the prime textile fabric in China
28
.
All these above factors have led Chinese to have incentives to develop their academic dress.
Generally speaking, the modern Chinese academic dress eventually existed in the end of 1980s
after imitating, designing and creating processes by schools and faculties of universities.

27
From descriptive perspectives,
Description of Modern Chinese academic dress
Hats
Nowadays, the lace-up mortarboards are widely used in the design of academical dress of
Chinese and many other Asian universities. This is one of the characteristics of modern
Chinese academic dress. Except for the lace-up mortarboard, the designs of other parts of
Chinese academic dress had become greatly different from that of the ancient dress since the
standardization of Chinese academic dresses by the central government was held in 1994.29
在深入研究和广泛征询意见的基础上，1994 年，国务院学位委员会审定通过了新中
国自己的学位服样式，并作出决定：作为统一规范的学位服，向全国学位授予单位
推荐使用，其他样式的学位服一律废止。30
The more detail of the process of standardization in 1994 will be examined in the next session.
More on the topic of mortarboard will be covered in ‗Details of design of Mortarboard’ in
p.30-.
Gowns
Gowns are colored depending on the levels of the degree. To meet the standard of design of
academical dress in China, the color should generally be black for bachelor gown, blue for
master’s gown and a combination of scarlet and black for doctoral gown.31
Hoods
In shape, hoods are pieces of triangular cloth. In general, bachelors‘ dress, masters‘ dress, and
doctors‘ dress all have a very deep neckline in V-shape. (See figure 17.)
29
學位服著裝規範. 聊城大學. 2009-06-22 [2011-12-27].
30
Quoted in http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106.
31
学位服_相关资料_学位博览_中国学位与研究生教育信息网

28
Figure 17 A description of the bachelor (left), master (middle) and doctoral (right) gown in China
after 1994, adapted from http://www.tianhan.com.cn/.
In 1994, China owned the new design and modernized fashion of her academic dress.
After a deep research and wide public consultation about comments on the design of
Chinese academic regalia32
, the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council (國務院
學位委員會) finally approved the regulations of the Academic dress of China on 10th
May,
199433
. The committee decided to encourage tertiary institutions in China to make use of its
design of academic dress. Indeed, it is an excuse to achieve the mission of unifying the form
of academic dresses of China. Under the new regulations other forms of academic regalia
were slowly, and secretly and consciously abolished.
The Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council decided not to include
bachelors‘ robes among the series of regulated and restricted academic robes and not to
promote the application of a unified design of bachelors‘ robes in China in an early period. So
32
国务院学位委员会学位办［1994］22 号《关于推荐使用学位服的通知》
33
http://www.huaue.com/xueweifu.htm ,“学位服着装规范（本规范由国务院学位委员会办公室
于一九九四年五月十日制定）”.

29
the series of unified academic dresses includes only the doctoral dress, masters‘ dress and
academy president dress.
The design and production of the academical dress were considered thoroughly how to
realize the character of China, but conform to the world custom, and benefit the execution of
unification principle in the dress development simultaneously; meanwhile designers of the
dress will also have to think how to make the academic dress be relevant to different degree
levels, division of academic subjects and unique characteristics of individual schools and
academies.
The robes consist of three main parts: mortarboard, gown and hood.
Details of design of Mortarboard, Gown and Hood
Mortarboard
The design of mortarboards of Chinese academic robes is the identical design of many
universities of countries around the world – having a shape of square, looking like a book
which implying the knowledge, as a metaphor.
Figure 18 20
th
century lace-up mortarboards typically used in China and other Asian universities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lace-up_mortarboard.jpg.

30
In terms of colour, all mortarboards are in black, regardless of degree levels. Moreover, the
mortarboards of school president and professors are also in black. This colour represents the
characters of calm and steady.
Gown
The gown plays a central chief role in the academical dress should symbolize the
particular level of degree and show the distinctive national features; at the same time, it must
also show the messages, aims and academic objectives of certain academies.
Generally speaking, the valuable elements of ancient Chinese academic dress which can be
provided for foreign designers of their western dresses are mainly the Chinese culture pictures
used on costume, and the use of blouse in design of academic dress, etc.
Economically, the use of traditional Chinese national, distinctive and traditional embroidery
motifs of dragon, phoenix, and peony flowers etc., would increase the production cost of the
robe, hence increase the financial burdens of academies and graduates. As a result, it was only
ever used on the academical dresses of the imperial dynasties, as I have mentioned above in
the part of history of official/academic dress; but it is seldom uses in nowadays.
Figure 19 Common prints of dragon designed on the imperial Chinese robes.
(Still image taken from the BBC produced video,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11942357?asid=be0b348c)

31
Figure 20 Prints of dragon on the imperial Chinese robes
Figure 21 Other Chinese-style patterning prints on the imperial Chinese robes

32
Instead, today Chinese academic dress designers need to think how to include the Chinese
elements into the dresses at a lower cost to satisfy the growing demand of the university
graduates. And so designers decided to use the ―good luck button‖ (如意扣) in their design.
Figure 22 Description of the good luck buttons applied in the Chinese robes. Adapted from
http://blog.yahoo.com/_XMCSVNQSY5ZHYS5LWSW5W3SYDI/articles/315202# .

33
Figure 23 The good luck buttons applied in the modern Chinese gowns (bachelors’).
Adapted from http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=64.
This kind of buttons is not so expensive in the production cost, but it is greatly representative
of characters of the Modern Chinese cultures and customs. For example, Chinese academic
gowns chiefly visualize the national and racial features by the use of distinctive patterns on
the good luck buttons at the cuffs of sleeves and the front of the academic gowns. In fact, the
―如意扣‖ is also used in different Chinese traditional costumes. It can show the descriptive
Chinese national characteristics in an economic way for the academic dress industry.
Around sides of the cuff of an academical dress sleeve are printed the picture of the Great
Wall of China, first of all the picture can represent Ancient Chinese magnificent histories and

34
second of all the large size of the picture makes the broad sleeve of the gown to be richer in
variations so as to match the large size of the sleeves of gowns.
In regulations of colour, doctoral gown is in black and red: black is the main colour tone
and red is used in border of gown; master gown is in blue and deep blue: blue is the main
colour tone while deep blue is used in border of gown; and president gown is constructed by
red and black. Above selections of colours differentiate the degree levels and academic
statuses in many students and staff.
Nowadays, the design of Modern Chinese academic dresses are limited by the
regulations set by the central government. Basically, the dresses will be uniform in China. If
schools want to express their individuality, what can they do in the design of their Academic
Regalia? In order to satisfy this need of schools in China, the government permits them to
print their school logos at the left front side, the heart of academic gowns.
Hood
As mentioned before, hoods are pieces of triangular clothes in shape. Hoods, or named
shawls, have been modified from riding-hoods in the course of evolution34
. It makes the
entire dress to have richer variation by its unique decorative function.
34
垂布，又称披肩，是由连颈帽演化而来。 Translated from
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106.

35
A kind of flowers of Chinese national cultures, peony flower, is used in the pictures on the
hood which is a symbol of being rich and auspicious in Chinese customs and institutions.
Figure 24 A sample of the Chinese hood showing the patterning of peony flowers.
http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=77
Any colours can be selected and determined by individual academies to be the colour(s) of
their hoods if the academies have their ideas of the selection of colours. Otherwise, the hoods
will be uniformly in grey according to the Chinese regulations.
How are the colours of hood chosen?
The colour of the hood border is determined according to the division of academic units.
China currently confers specialized degrees in twelve areas which include philosophy,
economics, law, education, literature, history, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine,
military science and administration. Under the 12 areas, there are hundreds of academic
subject area sub-categories. It would be difficult to use a variety of colours to represent these
sub-categories. Even if schools used twelve colours on the hoods to represent 12 specific
academic areas, there may still be confusion with the color representation. For this reason,
only 6 colours are used into the design of various hoods‘ borders to represent six major
academic units: arts, science, engineering, agriculture, medicine and military science (文、
理、工、农、医、军事). The 6 colours of hood borders are pink, grey, yellow, green, white and
red respectively35
.
35
学位服_相关资料_学位博览_中国学位与研究生教育信息网.

36
Figure 25 An indicated diagram showing the colours of hoods of different academic units under the
Chinese academic dress regulations. Picture adapted from
http://tupian.hudong.com/a0_86_87_01100000000018
114828765672786_jpg.html?prd=zhengwenye_left_neirong_tupian#.
Arts
Science
Engineering
Agriculture
Medicine
Military
science

37
Figure 26 The 6 colours of hoods in different academic units in China, adapted from
http://www.bjhongdan.com/news.php?id=77 .
The presence of modern academic dresses in China has gradually made the whole society
respect the spirit of truth, knowledge and talents. The tendency towards educational
development in turn pushes the central government to improve the current degree system.
Management of the conferring of degrees will hence become improved.36
So, we must not
neglect the importance of academic dresses. Nevertheless, the discussions on designs of
academical dresses should be included in international academic exchanges.
Forecasting the future variation of academic dress development based on the expanding legal
system and school-based management in China, it is believed that Chinese academic dresses
will become more diverse and can show more individual characters of different academies
and wearers.
36
Referenced from http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=106

38
Conclusion
In the trends of globalization and multiculturalism, it is inevitable to make the ancient
Chinese academic dress adapt to the new world; however it does not mean that there will be a
loss of valuable traditional cultures with historical colour of previous imperial dynasties.
As abovementioned, university student designers started to create the new series of Chinese
academic robe with a fusion of ancient Chinese traditions and western modernized
academical styles. A part, or sometimes major portion of the characteristics of ancient
Chinese academic dress have been visualized in the design of modern Chinese academic
dresses. See below illustrative photos of the new designs of the Chinese academicals.
The university graduates of Xi’an JiaoTong University are dressing fashionably for
ceremony.
Figure 27 Academical design that shows some of the Chinese cultures e.g. by red theme colour
37
on the westernized black
38
modern academic dress
Adapted from http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/107@1670679.htm
37
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funeral#Funerals_in_East_Asia, Funeral#Funerals in East Asia,
“The red color of the packet symbolizes good luck. Red is strictly forbidden at funerals as it is a
traditionally symbolic color of happiness *in traditional China+.”
38
Ibid., “In modern China, black is used in daily clothing. Black may also be used during a funeral to
symbolize the spirit's return to the heavens.”

39
Figure 28 Bachelor’s academic dress design that chiefly shows the traditional Chinese character
Adapted from http://big5.cri.cn/gate/big5/gb.cri.cn/14714/2007/07/10/107@1670679.htm
Modern schools have made their greatest efforts in designing a unique academic dress with
their own academical style on one hand; on the other hand, they do try to deeply protect the
ancient Chinese academic dress culture and traditions, and hence the schools choose to blend
the elements of ancient Chinese academic dress into the creation of their academic regalia.
In the future, there will be surely more distinctive academic dress, blending the iconic of
individual schools and academic dress styles of previous Chinese dynasties, existed in China.

40
Bibliography
Goff, Philip (1999). University of London Academic Dress. London: University of London
Press.
Jerry Bentley and Herb Ziegler. Traditions and Encounters - A Global Perspective on the
Past.
Max Weber, The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism (1916; transl. 1951)
Zhou, Xun; Gao, Chunming; The Chinese Costumes Research Group (1984), 5000 Years of
Chinese Costume, Hong Kong: The Commercial Press. ISBN 962-07-5021-7
Zhou Xibao (1984), 【中國古代服飾史】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Shi (History of Ancient
Chinese Costume), Beijing: Zhongguo Xiju.
沈從文 Shen Congwen (1999, 2006), 【中國古代服飾研究】 Zhongguo Gudai Fushi Yanjiu
(Researches on Ancient Chinese Costumes), Shanghai: Shanghai Century Publishing Group.
ISBN 7-80678-329-6
許嘉璐 Xu Jialu (1991),【中國古代禮俗辭典】Zhongguo Gudai Lisu Cidian (Dictionary of
Rituals and Customs of Ancient China).
華梅 Hua, Mei (2004), 【古代服飾】 Gudai Fushi (Ancient Costume), Beijing: Wenmu
Chubanshe. ISBN 7-5010-1472-8
黃能馥, 陳娟娟 Huang Nengfu and Chen Juanjuan (1999), 【中華歷代服飾藝術】
Zhonghua Lidai Fushi Yishu (The Art of Chinese Clothing Through the Ages), Beijing.
Further readings
Useful Links
學位服 - http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%AD%A6%E4%BD%8D%E6%9C%8D.
Chinese Academic Degrees & Graduate Education Information Website, and webpage
http://www.chinadegrees.cn/xwyyjsjyxx/xwbl/xgzl/xwf/259608.shtml.
Academic Degrees & Graduate Education of Liaocheng University Website, and webpage
―学位服着装规范‖, http://yjsc.lcu.edu.cn/ShowArticle.asp?ArticleID=323.

41
Sources
Official sources
Regulations
REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA ON ACADEMIC DEGREES
Other sources
Bransetter, Lee et al. (2008), "China's embrace of globalization", China's Great
Transformation, Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
北京世纪九成校园礼仪服饰有限公司-学位服的历史-
http://www.bjhongdan.com/index.php?id=105

42
APPENDIX
REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA ON ACADEMIC DEGREES
(Adopted at the 13th Meeting of the Standing Committee of
the Fifth National People's Congress and promulgated by Order
No. 5 of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
on February 12, 1980, and effective as of January 1, 1981)
SUBJECT: EDUCATION; UNIVERSITY; EMMIGRATION
ISSUING-DEPT: STANDING COMMITTEE OF PEOPLE'S CONGRESS
ISSUE-DATE: 02/12/1980
IMPLEMENT-DATE: 01/01/1981
LENGTH: 1362 words
TEXT:
[Article 1] These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of promoting the growth of
specialized personnel, helping to raise the academic level of various branches of learning and
promoting the development of education and science in our country, in order to meet the
needs of the socialist modernization.
[Article 2] Any citizen who supports the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the
socialist system and has attained certain academic standards may apply for an appropriate
academic degree in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations.
[Article 3] Academic degrees shall be of three grades: the bachelor's degree, the master's
degree and the doctor's degree.
[Article 4] The bachelor's degree shall be conferred on graduates from institutions of higher
learning who have good academic records and have attained the following academic
standards:

43
(1) having a relatively good grasp of basic theories, specialized knowledge and basic skills in
the discipline concerned; and
(2) having initially acquired the ability to undertake scientific research or to engage in a
special technical work.
[Article 5] The master's degree shall be conferred on postgraduates in institutions of higher
learning or scientific research institutes or persons with qualifications equivalent to
postgraduates on graduation, who have passed examinations in the required courses for the
master's degree and successfully defended their dissertations and have attained the following
academic standards:
(1) having a firm grasp of basic theories and systematic, specialized knowledge in the
discipline concerned; and
(2) having the ability to undertake scientific research or independently to engage in a special
technical work.
[Article 6] The doctor's degree shall be conferred on postgraduates in institutions of higher
learning or scientific research institutes or persons with qualifications equivalent to
postgraduates on graduation, who have passed examinations in the required courses for the
doctor's degree and successfully defended their dissertations and have attained the following
academic standards: (1) having a firm and comprehensive grasp of basic theories and
profound and systematic specialized knowledge in the discipline concerned;
(2) having the ability to undertake independent scientific research; and
(3) having made creative achievements in science or in a special technology.
[Article 7] The State Council shall establish an Academic Degrees Committee to direct the
work of conferring academic degrees throughout the country. The Academic Degrees
Committee shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairmen and other members. The chairman,
vice-chairmen and other members shall be appointed and removed by the State Council.
[Article 8] The bachelor's degree shall be conferred by those institutions of higher learning
authorized by the State Council. The master's and doctor's degrees shall be conferred by those
institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes authorized by the State
Council.

44
A list of institutions of higher learning and scientific research institutes that may confer
academic degrees (hereinafter referred to as "degree-conferring units") and the disciplines in
which academic degrees may be conferred shall be submitted to the State Council by its
Academic Degrees Committee for approval and promulgation.
[Article 9] Each degree-conferring unit shall establish an academic degree evaluation
committee and form dissertation committees for the disciplines concerned.
A dissertation committee must include relevant specialists from other units, and the
committee members shall be selected and determined by the degree-conferring unit concerned.
A list of members of the academic degree evaluation committee shall be submitted by the
degree-conferring unit to the competent department for approval. The competent department,
in turn, shall present the approved list of members of the academic degree evaluation
committee to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council for the record.
[Article 10] The dissertation committee shall be responsible for examining the dissertations
for master's or doctor's degrees, organizing their oral defence and adopting resolutions
whether or not to confer the master's or doctor's degrees. Each resolution shall be adopted by
secret ballot and with a two-thirds majority of the committee members supporting and then
submitted to the academic degree evaluation committee.
The academic degree evaluation committee shall be responsible for examining and approving
the list of holders of the bachelor's degree and for making a decision whether or not to
approve each resolution on the conferment of a master's or doctor's degree submitted by the
dissertation committee. Each decision shall be adopted by secret ballot and with a simple
majority of the committee members supporting. The list of persons to be conferred a master's
or doctor's degree shall be submitted to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State
Council for the record.
[Article 11] After a resolution to confer an academic degree has been adopted by the
academic degree evaluation committee, the degree-conferring unit shall issue an appropriate
diploma to the holder of the academic degree.
[Article 12] Postgraduates who have completed their studies in units that are not authorized to
confer academic degrees may, upon the recommendation of their respective units, apply to
nearby degree-conferring units for academic degrees. They shall be conferred appropriate
degrees after their applications have been examined and approved by the degree-conferring
units and they have successfully defended their dissertations and attained the academic
standards stipulated in these Regulations.

45
[Article 13] Upon the recommendation of relevant specialists and with the approval of the
degree-conferring units, those who have written important works or made inventions,
discoveries or other contributions to the development of science or special technologies may
be exempt from examinations in the required courses for the doctor's degree and may directly
take the oral examinations on their doctoral dissertations. Those who have successfully
defended their dissertations shall be conferred the doctor's degree.
[Article 14] Distinguished scholars and well-known public figures, both Chinese and foreign,
may be conferred an honorary doctor's degree, upon the nomination of a degree-conferring
unit and with the approval of the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council.
[Article 15] Foreign students studying in China and foreign scholars engaged in research
work in China may apply to a degree-conferring unit for academic degrees. Those who have
attained the academic standards stipulated in these Regulations shall be conferred appropriate
degrees.
[Article 16] If an academic body or a unit not authorized to confer academic degrees does not
concur with a resolution or decision on the conferment of an academic degree, it may address
its objection to the degree-conferring unit or the Academic Degrees Committee of the State
council, which shall study and deal with the objection thus addressed.
[Article 17] If irregularities, fraudulent practices or other situations in gross violation of the
provisions of these Regulations are discovered, the degree-conferring unit concerned may
revoke the degrees already conferred, after reconsideration by its academic degree evaluation
committee.
[Article 18] If it is definitely established that a unit authorized to confer academic degrees has
not been able to maintain the academic standards of the academic degrees conferred, the State
Council may suspend or revoke its status as a degree-conferring unit.
[Article 19] Measures for the implementation of these Regulations shall be formulated by the
Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council and submitted to the State Council for
approval.
[Article 20] These Regulations shall go into effect on January 1, 1981.
(Extracted from http://www.novexcn.com/academic_degrees.html)

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